This easy chili cheese fries recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for game day, entertaining guests, or a delicious sharing platter for dinner. With crispy fries covered with homemade chili sauce and melted cheese, these chili cheese fries are hard to resist!
Cook the ground beef over medium-high heat in a stockpot until slightly browned.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked beef from the pot to a separate plate and set aside. Leave 1 tablespoon of beef fat in the stockpot and discard the rest.
Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft.
Add the tomato sauce with green chiles, beans, chili powder, and cooked beef to the stockpot and stir to combine.
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the chili is simmering, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or package instructions) to cook the fries.
Use cooking spray or a thin layer of olive oil to coat a baking tray and place the frozen fries in a single layer across the tray.
Cook the fries in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until crispy or according to package instructions.
Remove the baking tray from the oven and transfer the fries to a skillet.
Assembling the chili fries
Spoon the homemade chili over the top of the fries, followed by the shredded cheese, and return them to the oven.
Turn the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Notes
Use block cheddar cheese.For best results, grate your own cheddar cheese so that it melts perfectly. Some packaged pre-shredded cheese has a coating around it that prevents it from melting before it burns.Coat the fries in olive oil.Depending on the brand of Frozen French fries you're using, you may need to lightly coat them in olive oil before baking them. Check package instructions for further directions.